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The House in Amalfi

Review

Lamour Harrington is a landscape architect living in Chicago.
Devastated by the deaths of the two men she's loved --- her father
Jon-Boy and her husband Alex --- she has put her life on hold,
allowing herself no play. She spends time remembering and holds
memories of her time in Italy as a child, which was a period of
perfect happiness.

Lamour's best friend, Jammy, bears devastating news: the husband
Lamour has mourned for two years was unfaithful. When he died, he
had planned to divorce Lamour and marry another woman. After this
revelation, Jammy and Lamour travel to Rome together. Lamour
urgently needs to find the truth behind her father's mysterious
death.

She finds that Rome has changed, with most of the people she knew
gone. Yet she begins to experience joy once again, and when she
reaches her childhood home in Amalfi, Lamour strolls through the
neglected house and gardens and decides she has come home.

Lorenzo Pirata is not happy to see Lamour return. He has kept a
secret all these years, and Lamour is a complication. He tells his
spoiled son, Nico, not to befriend her. The defiant young man
instantly makes a play for Lamour, and despite herself, she is
charmed by him.

Lamour works on her house and garden, and spends time with both
Nico and Lorenzo. Although she knows Lorenzo is her enemy, she
can't help but enjoy his company --- until he informs her that the
house is not hers, but his, and that she must leave and return to
Chicago.

A few of the plot points didn't hold together for me (in
particular, I felt that a late subplot involving Lorenzo's daughter
was completely superfluous). I also found that a few complications
were too easily solved. However, nothing could keep me from
thoroughly enjoying this book, which has an intriguing mystery, a
relatable main character, a sweet romance, incredibly funny scenes
involving chickens and workmen mangling a delivery job, and yummy
descriptions of Italy. I absolutely loved A HOUSE IN AMALFI and
highly recommend it.